June 25, 2025 | Abuja, Nigeria
In a bold move to close the identity gap and fast-track the national digital ID initiative, the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has announced a strategic partnership with the Ministry of Youth Development and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). The collaboration is aimed at training selected corps members to support the enrollment of Nigerians for the National Identification Number (NIN) at the grassroots level — especially targeting children under 16 in all 774 local government areas.
According to a statement released by NIMC on Wednesday, the initiative is part of a broader campaign to decentralize enrollment processes and ensure access even in underserved rural communities. The effort aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which emphasizes inclusive governance and equitable access to essential services.
“This initiative aims to reach previously unreachable areas and encourage Nigerians, especially children under 16, to enroll for NIN. The goal is to take NIN enrollment closer to the people,” the agency said.
Empowering Youth for National Identity Inclusion
As part of the rollout, NYSC corps members will be trained to conduct NIN registration in their place of primary assignment, making them vital actors in the national digital identity campaign.
The strategy builds on the NYSC’s vast network and presence in every corner of the country — a move that could significantly boost grassroots penetration and data collection.
A Race Toward the 85% Enrollment Target
This initiative comes as NIMC accelerates efforts to meet its revised enrollment target of 85% of Nigerians by December 2025, following missed milestones in the World Bank-funded Digital Identity for National Development (ID4D) program.
So far, 120 million Nigerians have been enrolled, according to the NIMC’s April 2025 update. With the population estimated at over 220 million, the agency must register at least 67 million more individuals in just six months to meet its goal.
NIMC has outlined plans to achieve this target through:
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Improved infrastructure
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More registration centers
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Wider sensitization campaigns
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Partnerships with institutions like NYSC and NCoS
Addressing the Challenges: From Awareness to Accessibility
Despite the mandatory nature of NIN registration since 2015, Nigeria has struggled to meet enrollment goals due to:
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Sparse registration facilities in rural areas
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Low public awareness
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Manual processes that hamper efficiency
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Data privacy concerns
The recent move to train youth corps members aims to address many of these issues by increasing manpower and access to remote communities.
The Correctional Centers Connection
The NIMC also highlighted another major milestone: the enrollment of 59,786 inmates, representing 74% of the Nigerian Correctional Service’s (NCoS) total inmate population. This follows the January 2025 license granted to NCoS, allowing inmate registration across Nigeria’s 256 custodial centers.
According to the NCoS, plans are in place to enroll the remaining 21,000+ inmates, ensuring their inclusion in national development and security frameworks.
NIMC’s Broader Digital Identity Vision
In line with her vision, NIMC Director-General/CEO Engr. (Dr.) Abisoye Coker-Odusote reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to partnering with public and private stakeholders to ensure “no Nigerian or legal resident is left out” of the digital identity system.
“The youth are the greatest assets to achieving this mission. Their involvement in the NIN drive will enhance public trust, increase coverage, and deepen inclusion,” she said during a recent stakeholder briefing.
What’s Next?
While the NYSC partnership marks a significant step forward, experts warn that effective implementation and oversight will be critical to success. To that end, observers urge NIMC to:
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Provide corps members with secure, user-friendly registration tools
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Establish oversight teams to monitor compliance and data protection
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Ensure that enrolled data is accurately captured and promptly integrated into the national database
With the countdown to the 2025 target underway, the clock is ticking. But if properly executed, this NYSC-powered enrollment model could be the game-changer NIMC needs to build a comprehensive, inclusive national identity infrastructure.
Also Read:
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Why NYSC blockchain certificates can’t drive mass adoption on their own
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Nigerians to pay 17% of minimum wage for ID card renewal—Is it worth it?
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NIMC’s inmate enrollment drive: Why identity still matters behind bars
